THE NEW YORKER THé SK Y LINé Mr. Smith's Mooring Mast-The City "Gets a Museum-The Hangar U NDOUBTEDL Y the most no- stonework, its color v,flriation giving it table feature of our city silhouette a fine animation, yet the stone courses at present is the gigantic Empire again are tied together by barely dis- State Building, so inevitably associated cernible reedings which sustain and with ex-Governor Al Smith. In its emphasize the verticality that is the earlier stages his picturesque statements very breath of this vital design. made excellent publicity and drew all The vigor of the entrances is held N ew York's attention to the steelwork well in check. They are adequate in as it grew to dizzy heights. When the size for the immense structure, bold skeleton began to be draped with stone and modern, and in no way freakish. and metal, it became obvious that here The cantilevering of the floors imme- was a structure worthy of consideration diately above the stores is effective and not because of its altitude or acreage we liked the dull purplish color of the but because of its sheer beauty. panels between sills and window heads, Messrs. Shreve, Lamb, and Harmon a treatment which admirably preserves have established, literally, a shining the dignity of the design. mark at which our designers may well Now we come to the famous moor- shoot. The Empire State on a clear ing mast. This contraption, frankly, morning or late afternoon is a splendid we deplore. If it was put there, as we spectacle. We have admired the ef- suspect, merely to add stature to the fulgence of other buildings in this edifice, it is a silly gesture. If it was vicinity. The Chrysler Building has a installed for advertising purposes, it may picturesque oddity, fortunately all its be ranked with Baltimore's famous own. The gold-crowned American Bromo-Seltzer bottle on the Emerson <...; Radiator Building was the first to Building. If it is supposed to be a prac- glisten in the sky. But they are both tical landing place for Zeppelins, then eclipsed in beauty by the Empire State. all the aviators with whom we have dis- The artful use of the Monel-metal cussed the matter know nothing. Final- trim, inclosing long bays of windows in Iy, we are convinced that the Empire unbroken, gleaming lines, ,*. ) State Building is less noble, is, in our opi ion, the way , \ II III less completely successful metal should be used in ll" .I III with its mast than it would building: sparingly. We.. '\. ... be without it. have never quite accepted. '\ the practice of employing \",1 III - I N the upper reaches large masses of metal , """" III of Fifth Avenue, be- s e';;thing, whether it be . \, I'. ' tween 103rd and 104th SlIver or gold, to conceal "" Streets, stands the recently the actual construction . I '. II opened Museum of the which is beneath.J. 'L. .', ' City of New York. Archi- II r. "...., .J tecturally it is a far cry ", T HIS new giant rests .",1 from the skyscraping mod- on a broad base of ........ _ .. II.. ern ism of the Empire State fi ve stories, covering the entire site of the to this quiet Georgian edifice. Yet here old Waldorf. A deep setback at the sixth we have instances of entirely dissimilar floor leads the eye to intermediate set- styles each of which has its perfect vin- backs, skillfully varied, from which rises dication. Joseph H. Freedlander has the massive central tower. It is the turned out a handsome structure with length of this huge shaft,. uninterrupted an ingenious plan. The recessed court by any break whatever, with no fussy or facing Central Park, and flanked distracting detail, that gives the design by two porticoed wings, sets off its powerful appeal, an appeal that for the marble columns and pediment of us is actually thrilling. · the main entrance to fine advantage. Such beauty is not easily achieved. We are glad, too, that he covered the It is accomplished by many subtleties property right out to the sidewalk line. which meet the eye only gradually. The This makes possible the fore court, and sharply cut delicacy of the leaf motive an attractive garden court at the rear. which terminates the pylons is notable, A high basement floor raises the and this fan form, with slight modifica- court and main-floor levels well above tions, is echoed in the metal trim. There the street and the building is further is nothing tired or monotonous in the protected by balustrades and grilles. We 49 . . I 'u .-:-:':':.- . >("",::t"::,::,,' . .::...,:/:..i . '4/:./ ) . :"'ò" "":"" ( "" ".}-::......, ; iiJ" '.,: }'::.:'. .:::, ':::::f:'.::-. - .::: :. .. ... . " . -.. . - '. . , . . . ',, ,.. J . \ :. - . I ';- I I :/ - \ \ \ I ?.....J I /./1. '. ,. .... << << For hours on the beach when you would look your best LVOLENE'S JERSEY PAJAMA $22.7 4 KOUR COpy] China and navy blue White and navy blue Yellow and viking brown Spring and vagabond green BEACH APPAREL SHOP THIRD FLOOR MACY'S 34th Street and Broadway, New York .